easyJet launches new recruitment drive targeting young people with 1,000 jobs available
easyJet has announced a major recruitment campaign aimed at young people not currently in employment, education or training (NEET), as the airline seeks to fill nearly 1,000 new cabin crew roles for 2026.
The initiative, titled Flight Paths, is designed to support school leavers and young adults in kickstarting their careers, particularly those receiving A-level results this summer.
The airline's recruitment drive comes as the latest ONS figures reveal that nearly one million young people in the UK are classified as NEET, accounting for 12.5% of the country’s youth population. easyJet hopes that expanding opportunities in aviation can help reduce this figure.
However, research commissioned by easyJet among 2,000 Britons aged 16 to 24 highlights persistent misconceptions about cabin crew roles. A striking 92% of respondents were unaware that no formal educational qualifications are required to apply. Meanwhile, 66% of young people believed they would be underqualified for cabin crew training.
These perceptions have contributed to a lack of interest in aviation careers, with 88% of respondents saying they have never considered working for an airline—despite 59% expressing interest in the aviation sector.
Gender stereotypes also persist, with 89% of young men acknowledging that the role is still commonly viewed as female-dominated. As a result, 38% of men said they would previously have ruled out the job altogether.
To combat these barriers, easyJet is offering free, hands-on taster sessions at its London Gatwick Training Centre this summer. These sessions will provide an inside look at the role from current cabin crew and training experts, and aim to demonstrate the valuable life skills the job offers, including communication, team management and problem-solving.
The sessions are open for booking via the airline’s website, while the Flight Paths programme builds on easyJet’s broader work supporting youth employment, including its Enterprise Advisors Programme, which connects staff with schools near its Luton and Gatwick hubs to provide career guidance and employability support.
Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services at easyJet, said: “We want to show young people that being cabin crew is more than just a job – it’s a career filled with variety, teamwork and opportunity. If you have enthusiasm, people skills and a willingness to learn something new, our taster sessions could be the perfect first step.”
Aviation Minister Mike Kane welcomed the initiative, saying: “It’s fantastic to see British firm easyJet investing in our young people, encouraging and inspiring them into careers in aviation.”
As part of the campaign, cabin crew and recruitment staff have shared voice notes detailing their personal journeys, tips, and advice, available to listen to on SoundCloud. Among them is Natalie Puncher, now Head of Customer and Inflight Standards, who said: “I joined easyJet as cabin crew a year after leaving school and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
“I’ve gained so much confidence, met amazing people and travelled to places I never thought I’d see.”
To book a place on easyJet’s 18-24s free cabin crew taster sessions, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/easyjet-flight-paths-cabin-crew-taster-sessions-tickets-1591307877699
For more information about a career as cabin crew with easyJet visit: https://careers.easyjet.com/cabin-crew/